As a native Mexican, he has trouble with the Mormon Battalion monument at the state Capitol. The statue commemorates the 500 Latter-day Saints enlisted in the U.S. Army during the Mexican-American War.

"That is a sensitive issue for us," he said.

Solorzano hesitated to bring up another sensitive issue but says after thinking about it for two years, he can't hold it in any longer.

The state of Illinois formally expressed regret to the LDS Church last year for the expulsion of Mormons from the city of Nauvoo nearly 160 years ago. Solorzano says some Mexicans are waiting for the church to do the same for settling on their land.

"Somewhere in the back of Mexican people's minds, they fantasize about the idea that the LDS Church will apologize for taking the territory," he said.

Pingree didn't disagree that Mormon pioneers settled on what was Mexican ground. But that is now past.

"That's an issue that none of us is going to solve right now," he said. "So, let's get on with the future."

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